|
|
|
Lawamena
Victoria
Reports
by
CRISIS
CENTRE DIOCESE OF AMBOINA
Jalan Pattimura 32 - Ambon 97124 ( Indonesia
Tel 0062 (0)911 342195 Fax 0062 (0)911 355337
e-mail [email protected]
|
THE
SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS - Report No. 278
2002-05-07 |
Ambon,
May 7, 2002
1.
FURTHER DISTURBANCE IN AMBON FOLLOWING JAFARS ARREST
During the evening and night of last Saturday, May 4,
following the arrest of Jafar Umar Thalib at Surabaya Airport, the
situation in Ambon was tense. In the various Christian quarters of
the city of Ambon many roadblocks were erected (barbed wire, empty
barrels, stones, pieces of wood etc.) to obstruct or at least to
slow down any unwanted entering of the areas by unfriendly masses.
The whole night long the sound of exploding bombs and mortars was
heard. For some reason especially the Setiabudi Road became target
of mortir launchers. For the third time within a few weeks the
Silo church was burned, causing minor damage to the unfinished two
story building. Two males (18 and 50 inclusive the one we
mentioned in our 5 May report) were killed, 22 people were
wounded, in most cases by mortar scraps. Five rioters were
arrested.
2.
ARRESTS Three people suspected of playing an
active role in the burning of the Governors administration
office last April 3, have been detained. Their names have not been
revealed yet.
3.
UNSUCCESSFUL ATTACK ON CHRISTIAN VILLAGES The
christian villages of Amahusu and Eri lie on the northern coast of
the southern peninsula of the island of Ambon, about 15-20 km S.W.
of the city of Ambon. There are only a few security forces
stationed there, because the area is considered to be tucked away
safely in a completely christian area. However, yesterday, at
about 04.00 a.m., two speedboats drew near the site shielded by
the darkness, probably with the intention to drop anchor at the
about 4 km long sparsely populated stretch between both villages.
When they were discovered by the civilian nightwatch and shot at,
the terrorists withdrew emptying their guns on those on the shore,
fortunately without causing any casualties or significant damage.
It is remarkable that those terrorists have a virtually
exclusive preference for christians as targets of their actions.
4.
AMBON CALM During the last couple of days
(Sunday and Monday, May 5-6) the situation in Ambon is relatively
calm, but Muslim vendors still suffer due to the absence of
Christian clients. Security forces are constantly in full alert.
Both
military chief commander Brig.Gen.Mustopo and Assistence Team
spokesman Syamsiar (see
Report 273), when interviewed by local reporters, declared
to the relief of many citizens that they, too, were opposed to
replacing the Civil Emergency State by Military Emergency State in
Ambon.
Every
evening on the local 9.00 p.m. TV news bulletin, there is life
contact by phone with a Moluccas reporter or a member of one of
both Councils (Provincial and Urban) that are in Jakarta now and
have already succeeded in holding preparing meetings with several
high functionaries.
C.J.Bφhm
msc, Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
|
